Congratulations to the 2025 awardees!
Hanson Family Undergraduate Research Publication Award
Aidan Baraban, Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior
Tiffany Chan, Biomedical Engineering
Shreya Chandra, Aerospace Science and Engineering
Grace Heringer, Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior
Kush Narang, Computational Human Biology
Sana Shehabi, Cognitive Science
The Hanson Family Undergraduate Research Publication Award recognizes outstanding research, scholarship or creative work by UC Davis undergraduates that has been published with guidance from UC Davis faculty.
Established in 2016 through a generous endowment by Steve and Karen Hanson, the award celebrates original student work across all disciplines that has appeared in a recognized publication.
Eligibility
To apply, students must:
- Be a registered UC Davis undergraduate in good academic standing
- Have completed the research under the guidance of a UC Davis faculty member
- Be listed as an author on a publication with a digital object identifier (DOI) that can be verified online
Award benefits
- $500 award (issued as a financial aid stipend*)
- Recognition on the Undergraduate Research Center website and at the spring award reception
How to apply
Applications must include:
- A PDF copy of the published article
- A one-page summary outlining the student’s independent contributions to the project (combined in the same PDF as the article)
- A letter of support from the UC Davis faculty sponsor (no more than two pages, single spaced, 12-point font)
- An optional second letter of support from another faculty or research mentor (same formatting)
Download the Hanson FAQ
Watch the 2025 information session recording or view the slides
2025–26 application timeline
The next application cycle will open in winter 2026. Tentative key dates:
- Application opens: March 16, 2026
- Application deadline: April 17, 2026
- Faculty letter deadline: April 21, 2026
- Award notification: Week of May 12, 2026
Awardees will be selected through a faculty committee review process. Applications are evaluated based on originality, quality of publication and the student’s independent role in the research.
Questions?
Contact the Undergraduate Research Center at urc@ucdavis.edu
*Federal financial aid regulations require that total student aid not exceed financial need as determined by a federal formula. In some cases, receiving this award may reduce another component of your aid package. If adjustments are required, the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will reduce loans or work-study first, with grants or scholarships adjusted only as a last resort.